Ahhhh. Feeling much better, thank you! Much better. I finally feel like doing something other than whining and drinking Sprite for dinner. Actually, what sounded good was just a Big-Gulp sized cup of Airborne with ice. Bah.

And — glory! — the cabinets are done. Yesterday. Today I'm playing catch-up. Paying bills. Changing sheets. Finishing painting the stairwell? Vacuuming. Getting some drawer-divider things so I can start putting stuff in the new drawers and cabinets. I'm looking forward to all of it. Spring cleaning's coming early this year.

Alas, not in the back yard. It's kind of a wreck. Stuff is sprouting through the gunk — we planted stuff — bulbs — I don't remember what. Allium, I hope!

Amelia turned sixteen-weeks-old over the weekend. It seems utterly impossible that that much time has passed already. She is so big and luscious and beautiful and funny and sweet and wonderful. She is so easy-going and laid-back; I still just cannot believe anyone on earth is just like this. My mellow yellow. She is such a cool person. Her infancy has been nothing short of complete delight. And it's going, as everyone said, so fast. But every new day is so much better than the one before. Our three days a week alone together are long — when Andy's at work (yes, he's an R.N.), morning starts at about 5 a.m. and the day doesn't end for me until her bedtime, around 8 p.m. Andy gets home around 8:30. She naps a little during the day, but she sleeps through the entire night, no problem. I think I'm finding a good rhythm during the days, though. Starting to get the hang. We've been managing really well lately, especially now that the weather is getting a bit nicer and we can easily walk up to the grocery store and stuff like that (and now that construction is over and we can actually leave the house). Not that I'm not exhausted at the end of the day. I am! But it's a good, honest, awesome kind of exhaustion. The days just feel so good to me now. Her happiness (and ours) is so straightforward, and filled with joy and sweetness and ease that I am encouraged, and so grateful, and nothing seems too hard then.

Now, wallpaper. People! Do you see how pretty it is? How can it possibly be chosen. Someone said that vintage wallpaper has nasty stuff in it. That stands to reason, but I'd never heard it before, so thank you. I'll probably pass on it. The swatches on the table are vintage. The swatches hanging on the wall are actually new, they just look old. From Fabrics and Papers. The one I like is the last one I thought I'd like. Can you guess? I still have a few more samples coming from other places. I want to wallpaper about fifty things now.

Finished Bernadette! I liked it (though I have to admit, I liked the first half better than the second half)! Next up is Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods. Of course I had to get that one! Thank you again for all of these. I'm really looking forward to them!

Do you see Greta up there with all of that Liberty? I am drooling!!! We have ten different ten-yard lengths here right now. I want to roll around in it. But none of it is for me!!! Liberty torture.

***Forgot to say: Here is my Pinterest board with some more wallpapers (and some of these).

216 comments

Wow! Am I the first poster? (What a dumb thing to comment on.) I read Bernadette because of you, and finished last night too. Loved it! but yes, ending not as satisfying as beginning -- isn't that some kind of metaphor for life, or dessert or something. House looks great, baby looks great. Don't stress about the garden. XXOO

Hmm...do you like the golden one? Lots of pretty choices there!
Somehow I am always drooling over the Liberty when I see it at the fabric store - thankfully my local place doesn't carry it or I would be a goner!

Bryson's Lost Continent is one of the funniest books I've ever read. The CatMan and I were stuck in a traffic jam on the interstate a few years back and entertained ourselves by reading it out loud. Sure, we got the side-eye from other drivers, but only because we were the ones having the most fun.

So glad you feel better! I really prefer the new/old wallpapers over the old/old papers you have displayed. Choosing is so hard!
I would just chat with Amelia all day! I remember the constant conversations I had with my son when he was a baby. No arguments! Just a captive listener. Heavenly.

I never heard of bad stuff in vintage wallpaper, but the bad part about using it is that is goes up very delicately!! My mom and I did strips of it in her back hall and it kept ripping and ripping, but we were adament and just pieced it together and finally made it. It was some of my great-grandma's old, unused wallpaper so we really wanted to make it work. It is precarious work, but worth it. But I'm with you, just use new that looks vintage. That's what I did in my kitchen and didn't regret it.

oh my goodness so many good ones to choose from...i lean toward the gold and ecru and i love warmth...but i also like the blue-ish one with ecru (hanging with the pinkish sample)...can't wait to see what you choose. and yes, i would surely roll around in liberty...golly, 10 yard lengths...hmmm, i'd wear a liberty toga...little A is getting more and more adorable...can you stand it?? waiting for bunnies here......

I love their apple blossom paper. It's my favorite flower. I am still head over heels for Waverly's Ballad Bouquet (at Lowes). I love all of the colorways, too; the blue, the tea-stain, the faded black...with those big, vintage blossoms. I've always wanted to use them somewhere. Even in a closet!

I cannot get over that you just made that bunny up. It is so gorgeous. My kids are too old for one but I think I have to have one for myself! As for the wallpaper, my favourite is the stripey blue and white (cream?) one. But that yellow vintage one is killing me! So so pretty. Amelia's personality is starting to shine so much. Which I am sure it has from day one but the photos are showing it more too. Such a doll.

Oh - are some of those clothes hand-me-downs? Because I'm recognizing the material of those overalls and those (I think) Janie and Jack pajamas that my oldest little one wore years ago. Complete flashbacks. Completely adorable.

So glad you feel better.
Last summer, while on vacation in sweden, i read "a walk in the woods". I would love to walk the appalachiantrail myself ( at least part of it - and not alone).
There's another book of Bill Bryson I found really hilarious. It's called "I'm a stranger here myself".
Amelia is such a cute, little girl.

A whole lot of loveliness! Thank you for making my morning a little brighter here at 6am on the other side of the world :) I love all of the wall paper and would use all of them! Your bunny is delicious as is Amelia... I'm also liking the fabric strips hanging up there! A new quilt on the way?

About

My name is Alicia Paulsonand I love to make things. I live with my husband and daughter in Portland, Oregon, and design sewing, embroidery, knitting, and crochet patterns. See more about me at aliciapaulson.com